It makes two large loaves.
This is a dense, rich bread meant to be cut into thin slices. It is very good buttered, excellent with a mild cheese, and keeps well for a couple of weeks.
• 1 cup warm potato water
• 2 packages (2 Tbs.) dry yeast
• 2 cups warm mashed potatoes
• ½ cup molasses
• approximately 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2½ cups dark rye flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• ½ cup wheat germ
• ⅔ cup chopped prunes
• ⅔ cup golden raisins
• ⅔ cup currants
• ⅔ cup chopped walnuts
• glaze
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tbs. water
1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm potato water and stir it into the mashed potatoes in a large bowl. Add the molasses and 2 cups of the whole wheat flour and blend well. Cover the bowl with a light towel and put it away in a warm, draft-free place for 1½ hours to let the sponge rise.
2. Stir down the sponge. Mix together the rye flour and the salt, and stir them in along with the wheat germ, fruit, and nuts.
3. Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface and knead in as much more of the whole wheat flour as is necessary to make a manageable dough. Continue kneading the dough until it feels elastic and springs back when pushed down.
4. Form the dough into a ball and put it in a large, lightly buttered bowl. Turn it over once, cover the bowl with a towel, and put it aside in a warm place for 1½ hours, or until the dough has risen to about twice its former size. Punch the dough down, form a ball again, and let the dough rise again for about 45 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 2 parts and shape each into a ball. Place the balls, smooth side up, on buttered baking sheets. Cover them with a light towel and let them rise for 45 minutes. Brush the loaves with the glaze and bake them in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 1 hour.
6. Allow the loaves to cool before slicing.
7. Just the water in which you’ve cooked the potatoes.
